The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-06
Interesting Races at FarmIngton,

Z. r. Allen, Wilton, ms. b. S. G. W. Patch
W. Weeks, West Farmingion. ms. b. 5. :
Morgan Golddust. .......... .............2 2 2
y. =; Gay, Pennington, rs. blk. 5. Youngs
Tsrbox Bros. Farmington, ns b. 5. Jack
Timec254, 2.5716, 2.5S. '
Poor Attendance at Androscoggin
Fair.
LEWISTON, Oct. 5.-The dubious weather
has made the attendance at the Androscog-
gin fair small.
The races resulted: For the three minute
class, Lota 1st, L.. c. I'd, Pert L. Sd; best
time, 2.459. For the two year olds, the race
was won by Wesley III. in two straight heats.
Irot was second best; time. 3.17. The trot
of green horses was not finished.
Lincoln County Fair.
DAMARIscoTTA, Oct. 5.--The attendance
at the Lincoln County Fair today was good.
The display Of fruit excelled that at the
State Fair. The first prize for family
horses was taken by lady, Martha Merrill,
of Nobleboro On account of the large num-
Der, the races will continue Friday, instead
of cloN ing tomorrow. The races for the
three-l mute purse and the four-year-o
colts o. cur tomorrow, and the three-year-ol
colts Ill trot Friday.
The W. c. r. U. and the Third Party.
To the Editor Of the Press:
In your issue of 3rd instant is an editorial
entitled "The Women and Temperance
which was very glad to see, because it may
lead to better understanding than now ex-
lists between temperance workers and politi-
clans. The PRESS may be able to suggest a
method Of conducting temperance work much
tl,o. bot aAn fad kxy, IT, III
the PRESS to do this intelligently we must
state our case.
In the early days of our society we thought
little comparatively of the political aspect of
the g estion, but as we advanced we found
ourse YES oftentimes in places when we could
not take step further, without being in
volved or at least intensely interested in this
line. And to meet this demand there was
created in the National Convention legal
lawyer, Mrs. j. Ellen Foster. In a report
made to the National Convention in 1881 she
said. 'Prohibitory legislation, National and
State, can only be permanently secured
through the agency OF a political party max
ing this its central idea" 1t was unani-
mously adopted. In 1882. after another year
OF labor, she said in her report to us in Nat
lonal Convention, Every temperance woman
ought to oppose by voice and influence the
action OF any party in which it ignores or re-
and Constitutional Amendment to the vote
Of the people. She ought also to support the
action OF any party wherein 1t commands
representatives to thus aid the people in the
expression of their will" And il was unani-
mously adopted. In 1888, the same superin-
tendent said to us in her report to the National
convention, do not be afraid of the charge
of partisanship. The grand chorus of
majorities, as in unison they cry: The sa-
loon must co. shall possess no corrective
force, unless that unison, merged into legis-
lation, judicial, executive harmony, and
guided by the baton of political party, shall
take up the strain" And it was unanimous
ly adopted. saf
The following summer our National Presi-
dent, Miss Willard-sent by us-went before
the Republican National Convention, in Chi
cago, asking in the name of the 200, 600 women
she represented that the party would simply
pledge itself to take the sense of the people
upon the proposition to amend the National
Constitution SO as to prohibitt the manufac-
ture, the sale, the expectation and the trans
portation of alcoholic beverages anywhere
within the limits of the National domain. In
the exact language of Henry w. Blair, "Miss
Willard talked for IS minutes like an angel
from Heaven and we retired-and the CON-
mittee gave no sign, and the platform was
dumb as block of wood"
Miss Willard next presented the same
memorial to the convention Of the Demo-
cratic party who paid it no attention and de-
claIed against all sumptuary laws. Later on
she carried IT to the convention of the Pro-
hibition party in Pittsburg. 1t was enthusi-
astlcaily received. and unanimously endorsed
as plank in the platform'of the party.
The National w. @. t. u. having resolved
to endorse that party which should best en-
body its principles felt bound to give its allie
glance to this Prohibition party, and did SO
at the Annual Convention in st. Louis, in
October, 1884, by an affirmative vote of 1sS to
negative vote of 49,"
This is in brief the reason why the Nation
al W: Q. I. U. lends its influence to the Pro-
hlbltion party. Tne stern logic of events
strengthens rather than weakens the cOnvic-
ton which came to the great majority of the
women of that and the next annual conyen-
tion. But you may say, "Y0u are speaking
OF the National W. @. L. u, and not OF the
State" The National is made up of State
and Territorial Unions. and no State can en-
joy freedom from the liquor traffic while sur
rounded by States where liquor is freely sold.
This would be the situation in Maine to-day,
allowing that our law was stringent enough
and was enforced, which is not the case in
our opinion. Never have amendments such
as asked for by Gen. Neal Dow ana the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union been
granted. III they had been there would not
be such violation Of the law in many locali-
ties as at the present time. In Sept, 1874,
the constitutional amendment was adopted
by large majority. This expressly COM
mands the Legislature to enact whatever
laws are necessary for the suppression OF
tuO H0 ncAb WHICH VIC WOht w viz
Legislature, never doubling that "this time"
we should have favorable response TO our
prayers; but the Legislature refused this in
way that was calculated to make us feel
that we and our errand were unwecome
visitors. So we in Maine, after waiting and
petitioning all these years, concluded that
the action of the National w. c. L. u. was
right. We noted the yiloati0n of the law in
all of the cities and many Of the towns, and
saw no hope of any Improvement.
To-day the great majority OF onr Union
believes that we can never accomplish our
object except through political party formed
with reference to it, as the Republican party
was formed and suppressed slavery, which
the Whig party was both unwilling and un-
able to do Although we are fully committed
to this view of the situation we are ready to
listen TO wiser counsels, il any such there be.
In adopting our course we have counted the
cost-loss Of friends, consolidation of enc
mics, hard work, outlay Of money and time
and great vexation to political leaders with
objects and purposes widely different from
our own. We seek advice and counsel, and
would like to ask the PRESS to point out to
us what hope there is. II any, that the policy
of the Republican party viii be changed in
the future? IL in the future at all, may we
look for it in the near or remote?
We can never sympathze with any party
that does not lay to heart the fact that nine
hundred millions of dollars are spent annually
millions for the spread Of Christ's gospel.
We are looking hopefully forward to the
time, which must surely come by the help of
a political party, when tarnished gold shall
no more pollute our treasury, aud the land
we love NAV he freed from DArtnash shin With